~ NEWS

Grenade Found in Family’s Backyard

RIO HONDO – Gilberto Sauceda was spending his Sunday maintaining his yard when he ran into danger.“Oh, I was cutting grass when i moved the dog house and it was underneath,. There as the bomb,” said Saucedo.Frightened for his wife and daughter, Sauceda shouted out to his wife.“I told my wife to go call the police because it looks like a bomb,” said Saucedo.Shortly after his call around 1:00pm, the Rio Hondo Police, Cameron County Fire Marshal, and the volunteer fire department arrived at the home on Blue Bonnet st and evacuated the Sauceda family.The Brownsville Police Department bomb squad was called in and confirmed it was a live grenade. They detonated it shortly after they arrived.Not long after, the Cameron County Fire Marshal’s office detained two people they believed to be connected to the incident.Chief Fire Marshal Humberto Barrera said he’s glad Sauceda called them.“It was a live grenade and again this goes to show you these types of things can happen anywhere. This is a nice quiet community with good people. Fortunately it wasn’t a kid that found it,” said Marshal Barrera.Residents said kids play outside all the time and that it is a friendly community.Samantha Padilla grew up here just a few doors down from the Sauceda home. She said she hopes it’s the last time this ever happens in her neighborhood. Her nieces and nephews play outside and worries if something like the grenade showed up again and that the kids would think it’s a toy.“I need to make sure to teach them from what is plastic and what is real,” said Padilla. “so we need to take an extra precaution an extra step for their safety.”Bluebonnet Street is now open again. Sauceda said he is glad he can finally return to his home after spending 4 to 5 hours outside.He is still in disbelief he found a grenade in his back yard.“In my mind, I never thought there would ever be a bomb there,” said Sauceda.Sauceda said this will be an event he will never forget and hopes it never happens again.